


The Final Crownsguard

by PrinceBrigan



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: End of game spoilers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-26
Updated: 2017-08-26
Packaged: 2018-12-20 05:46:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11914461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrinceBrigan/pseuds/PrinceBrigan
Summary: 'He crumbled against the throne, crying, cursing the gods, cursing fate, cursing the whole entire damn world for taking Noctis from this world. For taking the one person that could bring light into his heart, ironic really. Why was such a person cursed at birth to carry a burden like this? Someone who despite all of his brooding and unwillingness, would give everything to save his kingdom, save the world, save his friends from the daemons.'





	The Final Crownsguard

**Author's Note:**

> I uhh... really like making sad fics about after games or stories are done. Whoops

It took all of his strength to not run after Noctis has he ascended those stairs alone, to his fate which cursed the Lucis line for as long as anyone can remember. The daemon’s showing up cemented his wavering willpower. He had to protect his king, at all costs, no matter the feelings that he harbored for him. It was his duty, his sworn duty to protect the king until his last moments. Gladio growled, leaping for one of the monsters, Ignis trying his best to keep himself sane as he did what he good. He cocked his gun, letting out a yell that consisted of too many emotions before he too went forward in service to his king. The fights were nasty, long, the daemons trying their hardest to stop what they knew was about to happen in that Citadel.

The three of them wouldn’t let them. Gladio’s clearly controlled anguish felling daemons left and right, Ignis’ spells stunned them as Prompto did chip damage. They were a well oiled machine, even after all these years, even after Noctis has disappeared and it hadn’t seemed right to stay together. They all still knew how to fight together, to fight for the one cause that their hearts were screaming at them to go and attempt to stop.

Everything stopped when they heard a rumble, a shockwave of magical energy pulsating out of the Citadel and through the kingdom, across the lands. The Daemons screamed, falling on their own. The three of them back up towards the steps, looking as daemon after daemon fell by the power of whatever just happened. They all looked at each other, and towards the horizon where the sun had been hidden for so long. Light was finally restored to this war torn kingdom, to the cities around, to the entire world where Daemons plagued everything.

They watched as the darkness was over taken by the light, as their world turned to peace once again. Prompto turned towards those heavy doors that lead into the Citadel, the last place he had seen Noctis. He looked at Gladio and Ignis for one moment before he bolted up those steps, Gladio yelling after him. He ran with reckless abandon to the throne room, knowing that’s where Noctis would have gone, knowing that’s where was going to be. The prophecy, the one true king…. It couldn’t have been true, despite seeing it with his own eyes he couldn’t accept it, couldn’t accept that it was Noctis, their king, their friend, their Noct.

He ran up the crumbling steps, pushing open the door to the throne room, expecting to see Noct on that chair, he nearly stumbled when he wasn’t. The steps up to the throne were agony for him, Noctis wasn’t there, he wasn’t coming back. He did everything in his power to keep himself together, noticing a picture on one of the arm rests. He picked it up, his hands shaking. It was the picture of them that Noctis took from his photos. The picture that Cindy took of them in front of the Regalia before all hell broke lose.

He dropped to his knees in front of the throne, staring so hard at that picture, hoping this was all a joke, praying to the six that Noctis wasn’t really gone and that he would come out from somewhere, that he was just playing an age old prank on them. It took minutes for him to process the information properly through his brain, that this wasn’t a prank, that Noctis really wasn’t going to show back up. He placed the picture back where he found it, looking up at the throne. There was a gash in it, like a sword had stabbed it, right where Noctis’ heart would have been if he sat up straight.

It took one more moment for that information to process before he truly lost it. He screamed, clutching at his own chest, tears streaming down his face. He crumbled against the throne, crying, cursing the gods, cursing fate, cursing the whole entire damn world for taking Noctis from this world. For taking the one person that could bring light into his heart, ironic really. Why was such a person cursed at birth to carry a burden like this? Someone who despite all of his brooding and unwillingness, would give everything to save his kingdom, save the world, save his friends from the daemons.

Noctis was a truly nice person, he cared for everyone so deeply, he went through life after his father’s death, with only a moment to mourn, and did it as well as he damn could. Sure, he wasn’t perfect by any stretch, but he was a fine young man, one that would have been worthy to sit on the throne for the rest of his life if that prophecy didn’t get in the way. Prompto would give his life up over an over, if it meant that Noctis could have been happy, could have been alive at this very moment.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, before that same hand circled his body and brought him into a tight embrace, a grounding embrace.

“Why, I just got him back. Why is the world so cruel? Why is fate, The Six, everything dealing with kings so unkind to those who live it? He didn’t deserve this, he deserved to live a long and happy life, and he was taken from me, from us so fucking early. He was gone for ten years only to come back and live another two days. I only got to see him for two fucking days before he was ripped from me once again.”

He heard Gladio sigh, loosening the hug just a little so he could look at the younger mans eyes.

“Prom, I don’t know. I don’t know why the Six specifically chose him. Maybe because they knew he was the one king that was going to be loved by more than just his people behind the wall. Maybe because they knew that he was willing to sacrifice himself to save the entire damn world, those he loved and those he hated still living in it. I can’t say why The Six chose him. I can be angry, I can wish that they would show their face so I can give them a piece of my fucking mind, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s gone Prom. He’s not coming back, the Lucis line is gone. We have to pick ourselves up, go out there, and help rebuild peace. We have to rebuild Insomnia, help rebuild Daemon torn cities across the land and seas. We have to be the anchor now. Noctis is gone, but our jobs to him are not finished.”

Prompto sucked in a breath, looking back up at the Throne, the last place he knew Noct to be.

“I know, you’re right but I just… It’s so fucking hard. I didn’t think I would have to lose him this soon. Hell, in the back of my mind I was praying to any god that would listen that I wouldn’t ever have to lose him.”

“It is quite easy to see just how much you loved him. I really am sorry to say this, but you have to move on now, move on for him. Noctis would not want you moping around here because of a cruel fate that was given to him upon his birth, you should know this.”

“I do Iggy, I really do it’s just… Fuck man, it’s gonna take some getting used to y’know? Before, when he was in the crystal, he wasn’t dead, he wasn’t gone forever. And indefinite amount of time sure, but I knew I was going to see him again… And now, now I know I won’t. Now I have to get on my feet and help plan the funeral for the King who I loved more than a subject should. A king who loved me back. It’s going to take some time, and you guys might have to kick my ass on occasion, but I’ll do it, for him, and for you two. I know you’re grieving his lose just as much as I am. I’m sorry for making it seem like it was all about me.”

Ignis shook his head, bending down to put a hand on Prompto’s shoulder.

“Gladio and I both knew at a very young age that something like this was going to happen. Maybe not the specifics of it, but just something. We grew up with this knowledge, and if I may speak for us both, we both have come to terms with it. Losing Noctis, yes, it hurts like hell, it probably always will. But we’ve both done our grieving. You on the other hand, you were just a boy from his high school, a boy who he connected with on levels that none of us could have guessed. You brought light into his dark world. You loved him, and he loved you in return. That love, showed the way for him. It helped him grow into a stronger person. You were the corner stone that I or Gladio never could have been. You destressed him at the worst of times, and got him to do things that I had been begging him to do for years. You didn’t know anything about his fate until well, until last night really. You knew that him going into the Crystal meant something, but you didn’t expect this. Prompto, your grieving is understandable and allowed, we’re not taking that away from you, we would _never_ take that away from you. All we’re asking, is while we’re in the light, while we are doing things for the King, that you need to be strong, be strong for us, be strong for Noctis.”

Prompto nodded, standing up with Gladio’s help, his legs still shaking.

“I thank you guys, for you support through all of this. Now, as the last Crownsguards of the Lucis name, shall we continue ever onward to a brighter future?”

“That we shall Prompto, that we shall.” 

* * *

 

The three of them stood before the empty casket, before the mourning people of their city. They had waited for the funeral until the capital had been rebuilt, until those who were lost had come back to see their final king sent off. It was agreed upon that the Crownsguard would conduct the ceremony, breaking from tradition itself, but well… Tradition seemed a fickle thing nowadays.

“I stand before you, as one of the final three Crownsgaurd for the Lucis name. The final three who protected our last king as best we could, yet fate wrought him from us, tore him from our hands and our hearts. We loved Noctis, the three of us. We swore our fealty to him, not because he was our king, not because of duty, but because of the man that we saw in him. We knew that he was going to be a fair and just king, we knew that with our help and those of his citizens he was going to make Insomnia a great nation once more. And yet, here we stand, before the casket that holds our final wishes for the king who we all loved, all cherished. His time was short, shorter than most kings, but he did more in his lifetime and anyone else. He sacrificed himself to make sure that the world could return to the light, that the world would once again know peace. I speak for myself, and for everyone else out there. Thank you Noctis, thank you for being selfless, thank you for giving your life for us, for all of us. I know you didn’t have the easiest time, I know that life was hard on you, fate brought you too close to death too many times, but you did it. You made it, and you saved the world. We’re all going to miss you, I miss you more than I could have ever thought possible.”

Prompto closed his eyes, taking a moment to gather himself as he felt the tears coming.

“Noctis Lucis Caelum was our one true king, the king destined to us millennia ago. I know, all of you here didn’t get to see him much, he was sheltered, protected as a child. His father, the late King Regis did everything in his power to ensure that his son was safe so he could carry out the prophecy that he bore. It wasn’t an easy choice for him, he knew that his death, also meant his sons death. He loved Noctis more than anyone in this world, and he died knowing that he would see his son far sooner than he would have liked. You may not have liked King Regis, some of you may have thought that he could have done more for us. But think about this, fathers and mothers out there. Think about what he did, what he had to do. He knew, from Noctis’ birth that he was the one true king. He knew that his son’s life was going to be much shorter than his. He did everything in his power to ensure that Noctis could live a few moments more. You may think that selfish of him, you may think that it wasn’t a very kingly thing to do, but think about it coming from a parent’s perspective. King Regis was first and foremost Noctis’ father, he loved him first as a son, then as the future king. I know for a fact that King Regis would have given his life a thousand times over if it meant that his son would be able to see the sun once more.

“Yet such is fate, such is the destiny of our nature. We cannot dwell on the past for long. We have to look forward, to the future, to the light. We have to put aside our differences and make sure that Insomnia and everyone around us is in good health, happy, and in good spirits. We may mourn our king, we may wish that fate didn’t tear us from our grasps so early, but I know for a fact that Noctis would want us to move on.”

Prompto took a breath, walking down the steps towards the casket that held no one, that was just a symbol of Noctis’ passing. He took a breath, the tears he wished wouldn’t break came rolling down his cheeks. He placed a hand gently on it, looking out to the congregation that gathered for Noctis’ funeral.

“I loved him, I loved him as my king and as Noctis Lucis Caelum. He did more for me in his life than I ever did for him. He protected me more, loved me more, and fought for me more than I ever thought that I was worthy of. Noctis didn’t care about status, didn’t care about what you were born into, who you were born too. He was selfless from the beginning, he protected so many commoner born people, helped so many commoner born people on our travels to Altissa. He loved everyone, he looked at the world, at it’s people and knew that he had to protect them, and he didn’t complain once about it. I speak for myself and the two other Crownsguard standing before you today Noctis. We all loved you unconditionally, we all would have given our lives for you if it meant that you could be standing here today, to see what you have done for the world. From the final Crownsguard of the Lucis line, we send you off, we send you off on tidings of love, and hope for a better tomorrow, for a better future. I Prompto Argentum swear this to you.”

“And I, Ignis Scientia swear this to you.”

“And I, Gladiolus Amicitia swear this to you.”

The two others gathered beside Prompto, their final words said in unison.

“We shall continue to protect what you gave your life for. We shall continue to protect your lineage and your sacrifice until our hair turns grey and our bodies return to the light. We, as Crownsguard to Noctis Lucis Caelum swear our fealty to you, even in your death. May you return to the light, may you return to your father, and may you never know worry again. We love you Noctis, and your sacrifice shall never be in vain.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come yell at me on twitter or tumblr 
> 
> Twitter- @flyvolleybirbs  
> Tumblr- Willofthevongola
> 
> I also pray every day to whatever gods that listen that FFXV 2 gets made and it's a giant "HAHAHAH JUST KIDDING NOCTIS ISN'T DEAD"


End file.
